After several months of waiting, fans can finally relish in Champions League football once again. Europe’s most prestigious competition has undergone a makeover this season, but that hasn’t prevented it from being the home of the biggest stars of the continent. The new format of the competition means spectators get to witness gigantic clashes such as Real Madrid vs Liverpool and Paris Saint-Germain vs Manchester City earlier than ever before.
With so much at stake so early one, the big names will have to be on top of their games from the get-go. With that in mind, the 10 best players competing in this season’s Champions League have been named and ranked.
Key Ranking Factors
- Goals and assists
- Clean sheets
- Other key statistics
- Current form
- Impact on team
| Best Players in 24/25 Champions League | ||
|---|---|---|
| Rank | Player | Club |
| 1 | Vinicius Jr | Real Madrid |
| 2 | Rodri | Manchester City |
| 3 | Erling Haaland | Manchester City |
| 4 | Kylian Mbappe | Real Madrid |
| 5 | Jude Bellingham | Real Madrid |
| 6 | Mohamed Salah | Liverpool |
| 7 | Harry Kane | Bayern Munich |
| 8 | Phil Foden | Manchester City |
| 9 | Kevin de Bruyne | Manchester City |
| 10 | William Saliba | Arsenal |
Only three Premier League stars feature among the 10 highest-paid players in the 2024/25 Champions League.
10William Saliba
Arsenal
Over the past couple of seasons, William Saliba has well and truly cemented himself as one of the best central defenders in world football. The Frenchman has become a pillar of not just Arsenal’s backline, but the spine of Mikel Arteta’s side as a whole. Last season, the Gunners conceded a Premier League low of 29 goals and have continued in a similar vein this season, with the only time David Raya has been beaten coming in the 1-1 with Brighton.
While Gabriel’s praises must also be sung too, there can be no doubt that it is Saliba who has been the main rock at the back during the club’s recent revolution.
9Kevin de Bruyne
Manchester City
In years gone by, there would be no qualms with putting Kevin de Bruyne even higher on this list. In fact, for a period of time, there was an argument that the Belgian was the best player in Europe. In his advancing age, injuries have slowed him down a touch and have let others overtake him. Regardless, De Bruyne remains a force to be reckoned with thanks to his ability to create goals as well as any other player.
